Platform on new construction, renovation, restoration and transformation
Hoge Wei is rapidly transforming from a construction site into a residential neighborhood. While the church has already been completed and residents will soon be moving into the first homes, excavation, construction, and landscaping are still underway elsewhere. This combination of many subprojects running simultaneously makes the project complex, and VDBH plays a remarkably broad role in it: from earthwork and sewer systems to landscaping, maintenance, and post-construction care.
“We became involved in the project over three years ago because of our experience with construction team projects and our ability to address both the ‘gray’ and ‘green’ aspects in an integrated manner,” says Pieter van der Starre of VDBH. This broad approach has proven to be of great value at Hoge Wei. “For example, we’re involved in preparing the site for construction and installing sewer systems and infrastructure, but we’re also handling the earthwork for the various construction phases.”
One of the first visible results of the new neighborhood was the new church building, which is now in use. VDBH played an important role in that project as well. “In addition to the work on the construction site, we also created the design for the church plaza, including the landscaping plan. Here, too, we combined ‘gray’ with ‘green,’” emphasizes Van der Starre. “That’s where our strength lies. Precisely because we have all disciplines in-house, we can efficiently coordinate the work and maintain clear oversight. Now that housing construction is in full swing, the focus is shifting to making the neighborhood ready for residents. Roads, sidewalks, playgrounds, dry streams, lighting, and green spaces are being constructed in phases, while new construction phases are being launched at the same time.”
According to Van der Starre, this integrated approach also yields sustainability benefits. “Because the entire project is overseen, excavated soil can be reused immediately elsewhere within the project. This limits transportation, lowers costs, and reduces the environmental impact.” In addition, the company is fully committed to innovative techniques. “For example, at the start of the project, we surveyed the site using a drone. In the past, our surveying team had to measure it point by point using a GPS pole. Now, using the drone, we were able to record 15,000 measurement points within half an hour, creating an extremely accurate picture of the ground level. We also use GPS-guided machines to ensure maximum precision during construction.”
For a project in such a prominent, highly visible location—where thousands of people follow its progress every day—every detail counts. From infrastructure and green spaces to biodiversity and maintenance: for VDBH, everything in Hoge Wei comes together in a single integrated approach that is shaping the neighborhood step by step and will eventually maintain it as well.
